He’s not 15 anymore and in his time in custody he has not really shown any remorse. Until the last minute when he begged for the harshest punishment .The kid was broken by his parents, the parents need life sentences too.
I feel like there’s a contradiction between right to a speedy trial, and the judicial system going so slowly that you’re now convicted as an adult despite when the crime occurred being years prior.
He’s not sentenced to life based on his current age. He’s still not an adult anyway. Most (all?) states allow minors above a certain age to be tried and sentenced as adults in extreme circumstances, and 15 isn’t considered too young here.
I think the lack of parole option is horrible in this case, but then again US prisons don’t really focus on rehabilitation either so I’m not sure he’d have much chance anyway. Still horribly sad all around.
Not sure what you’re saying in the first paragraph. In one respect you say he wasn’t tried as an adult when he was if I read correctly, and yet if he was tried as an adult, it seems you’re saying it wouldn’t or shouldn’t matter.
I tend to disagree that 15 is old enough. 15 is flatly a child. The brain is physiologically far from full development. That we whimsically throw aside our own laws on trying children or adults based on how vengeful we’re feeling on a given day astounds me.
The United States stands alone as the only nation that sentences people to life without parole for crimes committed before turning 18. This briefing paper reviews the Supreme Court precedents that limit the use of juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) and the challenges that remain to its abolition.
For a 15 year old? Obviously the judge and jury have a fuller picture than I, and I agree with the parents of the victims that their children got unwarranted death sentences. But I do believe making parole possible in 30+ years would be appropriate, just given his age and opportunity to develop his brain to full maturity, and hopefully learn empathy and remorse.
Wait, life? For a 15 year old?
He’s not 15 anymore and in his time in custody he has not really shown any remorse. Until the last minute when he begged for the harshest punishment .The kid was broken by his parents, the parents need life sentences too.
I feel like there’s a contradiction between right to a speedy trial, and the judicial system going so slowly that you’re now convicted as an adult despite when the crime occurred being years prior.
He’s not sentenced to life based on his current age. He’s still not an adult anyway. Most (all?) states allow minors above a certain age to be tried and sentenced as adults in extreme circumstances, and 15 isn’t considered too young here.
I think the lack of parole option is horrible in this case, but then again US prisons don’t really focus on rehabilitation either so I’m not sure he’d have much chance anyway. Still horribly sad all around.
Not sure what you’re saying in the first paragraph. In one respect you say he wasn’t tried as an adult when he was if I read correctly, and yet if he was tried as an adult, it seems you’re saying it wouldn’t or shouldn’t matter.
I tend to disagree that 15 is old enough. 15 is flatly a child. The brain is physiologically far from full development. That we whimsically throw aside our own laws on trying children or adults based on how vengeful we’re feeling on a given day astounds me.
I’m not the only one: https://www.sentencingproject.org/policy-brief/juvenile-life-without-parole-an-overview/
He points out that the perpetrator is:
-No longer 15
-Still a minor
-Tried an adult, which many states allow
Life sentence for killing 4 people.
He also was found guilty on the terrorism charge.
Technically he was given 4 life sentences, one for each victim.
Not every judicial system is built on retaliation. Some are built on rehabilitation and a secure society.
What should be the appropriate sentence for multiple killings?
For a 15 year old? Obviously the judge and jury have a fuller picture than I, and I agree with the parents of the victims that their children got unwarranted death sentences. But I do believe making parole possible in 30+ years would be appropriate, just given his age and opportunity to develop his brain to full maturity, and hopefully learn empathy and remorse.
Disgust for the crime is one thing, but that’s beside the point.